When you think it is over, you actually get more. It seems that my stories involving tarts en tous genres keep coming. I like savory tarts of course, but have a strong inclination for sweet ones. Even over great-looking cakes. I think this is partially explained because I grew up surrounded by them. At home, there were always homemade tarts and cakes, the simple and not the fancy ones. Rusticity is beauty in its own form, and I cannot but identify to it as it definitely brings back the country girl in me. In fact, I should add that my mum was not a pastry maker, and there was always more focus on simple rustic desserts.

So I learned to make and enjoy a lot of sweet open tarts, les tartes sucrées.

Number Three or a Series of Puff Pastry Tarts

I discovered the recipe for this sweet tart already featured here, in a lovely new cookbook that I acquired a few weeks ago called New Vegetarian Entertaining, by Jane Noraika. This is what happens on a rainy day, when I get stuck in a bookstore. What prompted me to buy the book was actually the food styling and the wonderful pictures that I was sure were both going to inspire me. Call it a weakness, but I can admit that this is exactly how I shop for cookbooks these days. If I want to grab the pieces of food presented in the pictures, I am an easy buyer.

This Nectarine and Raspberry Tart is the first and only recipe that I have tried so far, and I really liked it. In fact, I can already tell that, after browsing quickly through the pages, the recipes are going to be enchanting. The cookbook presents inspiring ideas to entertain, with varied and original vegetarian dishes.

While the main idea for the tart remained the same, I adapted the recipe. What did I change? I used less eggs and sugar than suggested, I changed the fruit and modified a few cooking methods. I was also slightly puzzled from the fact that the vanilla cream — very much like une crème patissière — was cooked with the tart, but decided to give it a try to see what result I would get. It actually worked very well, although I still think that I prefer uncooked crème patissière. I also added a few additional steps, such as filter the milk, place the cream in an bowl with iced water because I think these steps really help in the end result. It is always interesting to see how many steps are lacking in a cookbook, or how well things are explained. There is always room for improvement for all of us.

Summer still around? Nectarines and raspberries will soon disappear so you better hurry to make tarts like this while they are around.

Et vive les tartes aux fruits ! (hurray for fruit tarts!)

Nectarine and Raspberry Tart

You need:

For the Vanilla Cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Tart

13 oz puff pastry

4 nectarines

Melted butter, to brush the dough

Confectioner’s sugar and 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Steps:

To make the vanilla cream, put the milk and vanilla in a pot and bring to a boil. Then remove from the heat.

Beat together the egg yolks, the cornstarch and sugar, until very white and light (use an electric beater)

Add the hot milk and mix well. Transfer to the pot again and reduce the heat to low. Stir constantly until it thickens.

Remove the vanilla bean and stir in the melted butter.

Transfer to a bowl placed in an iced recipient. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool.

Roll out the dough and place it on a baking tray (I made a rectangular tart).

Make little holes with a fork and pour the cream on top, leaving 1 inch border away from the edge (you might have more cream than needed, which was my case, but it is lovely on its own with freshly cut fruit).

Slice the fruit and arrange it on top. Sprinkle with some brown sugar.

Brush the border created with the melted butter and place the tart in a preheated oven at 400 F, for about 25 mns, or until golden.

Serve with fresh raspberries and confectioner’s sugar sprinkled on top.

44 comments

Oh you are a girl after my own heart! I also prefer homemade tarts over cake…something about the texture of tart dough, the soft sweetness of the baked fruit, and yes, that rustic look of it all. Irresistable on all counts. You just gave me an idea on what to do with that flat of peaches that I just picked up last night!

All of your tarts are beautiful and I crave every single one. Use use some of my favorite ingredients. Have you seen the cookbook, Once Upon a Tart? It is beautifully done, and full of things I think you would love (at least I love them!).

Now that is exactly how I buy cookbooks too — like a little kid looking at the pictures! This one looks great (your version of the tart is lovely) and the link to Amazon so kindly provided — with a click, the thing was done. Thanks, Bea! I’ll enjoy it.

Cook books with color photos and interesting styling are one of my big weakness as well. I have learned to be strong as I have been uprooted and replanted in Italy and not a lot of room for all those lovely books. So it’s wonderful to have found your site with is awe inspiring photos and styling ideas. Thank you for your effort. Now I can enjoy recipes and photos on line. I’ve enjoyed making a few of your recipes with natural variations as to what’s on hand with fantastic results. Mille Grazie

Bea,
I love rustic and home-made tart too! The genuine beauty is purely from hand-folded edges of the pastry and the natural and glorious colors of the fruit! The vanilla cream I think we just call it custard, yup, I think your additional steps are essential too! I’ll love to try your wonderful recipe Bea!

Béatrice Peltre is a food writer, stylist and photographer working out of her home studio in Boston.
She is a regular contributor to the Boston Globe Food Section, and her work has appeared in many publications
such as Saveur, Food and Wine, Whole Living, Fine Cooking, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, the Huffington Post,
the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Edible Boston, Living France, the New York Times Diner’s Journal,
and in many other international magazines.